A copy of George Orwell’s “1984” faces outward from a shelf at 2nd & Charles in Hixson, its black cover dominated by a watchful eye.
Nearby are Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” and Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl.”
Other shelves hold Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” S.E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders,” John Green’s “Looking for Alaska” and Octavia E. Butler’s “Parable of the Sower.”
The books span decades, genres and audiences, but a large orange sign draped across the shelves places them under a single heading: “BANNED BOOKS.”
None, however, is banned from being sold.
For 2nd & Charles, the display is a way of drawing attention to books that have been challenged, restricted or removed from schools or public libraries somewhere in the United States – and giving customers an opportunity to decide for themselves whether they want to read them.
“The 2nd & Charles brand is built around discovery: the thrill of the hunt for books you might not find anywhere else, and a love of reading that we share with our customers,” says Rick Rupp, vice president of merchandising for 2nd & Charles, which has 47 locations across the U.S.
“Highlighting books that have been challenged gives customers an easy way to explore titles that are part of the national and local conversation about reading, and to make up their own minds about them.”
The display is not limited to Banned Books Week.
Rupp says it’s a long-running feature that remains in stores throughout the year, with its contents changing as different books draw attention and inventory comes and goes.
That second factor is especially relevant at 2nd & Charles, which buys as well as sells books and other merchandise. Its book inventory ranges from new releases to used books, while its buyback program accepts books and a variety of other media and merchandise.
“The titles rotate as new books enter the conversation and as our new and used inventory changes, so the selection can look a little different each time a customer visits,” Rupp says.
What does “banned” mean?
While the wording on the display is straightforward, defining it is more complicated.
For the purposes of the shelves, 2nd & Charles does not limit the term “banned” to books that have actually been removed from circulation.
“For this display, ‘banned’ refers to titles that have been challenged, restricted or removed from school or public libraries somewhere in the United States,” Rupp says. “These books are not banned from sale and remain widely available.”
That distinction means the books on the shelves have not necessarily suffered the same fate. Some might have been challenged – targeted for removal or restriction – while others have been removed or had access to them limited in particular schools or libraries.
2nd & Charles draws from two sources when deciding what belongs on the shelves, Rupp says: the American Library Association’s annual lists of frequently challenged books and PEN America’s reporting on book removals.
The result is an eclectic collection spanning classics such as “1984,” Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” contemporary young adult fiction, memoirs and graphic novels.
The selection at the 2nd & Charles in Hixson’s Oak Park Town Center illustrates that breadth.
Alongside “1984” are Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” Atwood’s “The Testaments,” Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World,” Sherman Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” Sandra Cisneros’ “Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories” and Stephen Chbosky’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
Other shelves include Lois Lowry’s “The Giver,” Richard Wright’s “Native Son,” Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” and Agustina Bazterrica’s “Tender Is the Flesh.”
“When a title draws new attention because it’s been challenged, we review it and might add it,” Rupp says. “Because much of our inventory is used and comes to us through our buyback program, what’s on the shelf also reflects what our customers bring in.”
Attention – and sales
Placing the books together under a “BANNED BOOKS” gives titles that might otherwise be scattered throughout a large store a prominent merchandising platform.
And prominence can sell books.
Rupp says challenged books are no different in that respect from other titles selected for special displays.
“The reality is that most titles or authors featured in any bookstore across the country can see a sales lift, and these titles are no exception,” he says. “Our customers have varied tastes and interests, and we try to meet their needs in the best ways we can.”
Asked whether 2nd & Charles regards the display primarily as a sales promotion, an educational effort or a statement about access to books and free expression, Rupp did not separate those purposes.
“It’s a combination,” he says.
Rupp pointed to comments from 2nd & Charles CEO Terry Finley, who’s described access and the representation of diverse voices as values underlying the company’s approach to bookselling.
“Our focus is on access and choice: giving customers a wide range of books and letting them decide for themselves what to read,” Rupp says. “Encouraging reading, in turn, supports our business as a bookseller.”
Few objections to the display
If putting controversial books in schools and libraries has generated objections, prominently selling them as “banned books” has not generated the same reaction among 2nd & Charles customers – at least not one that has reached Rupp.
“We value customer feedback, whether it’s shared with a store team or with our corporate office,” he says. “Over the past three years, I’ve not received any comments related to this feature.”
Should someone object, Rupp says employees are instructed to listen and pass the feedback to district and corporate officials for consideration.
“Our goal is to offer a broad selection that reflects the wide range of our customers’ interests, and our booksellers are always glad to help any customer find something that suits them,” he says.
For now, the challenged books remain conspicuous rather than concealed.
The shelves span decades and audiences, from longtime staples of American classrooms to recent works written for adults and teenagers alike. And because they contain used books as well as new ones, tomorrow’s selection might not match today’s.
The common thread is that somewhere in the country, someone has questioned whether other people – often students – should have access to them.
At 2nd & Charles, that controversy becomes an invitation to pull a book from the shelf.
“Highlighting books that have been challenged gives customers an easy way to explore titles that are part of the national and local conversation about reading,” Rupp says, “and to make up their own minds about them.”